Mechanical Performance Assessment of High-Strength Concrete Incorporating Cassava Peel Ash as A Partial Cement Replacement
1* Oluwabango, D. A. and 2 Afolabi, O. A.
1,2 Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria
DOI: 10.36108/laujoces/6202.61.0123
Abstract
The high cost and environmental impact of cement production necessitate sustainable alternatives. This study investigates cassava peel ash (CPA) as a partial cement replacement to enhance concrete performance. Concrete properties were evaluated through chemical characterization of CPA, particle size distribution and mechanical strength of aggregates, workability assessment via slump and compaction tests, and mechanical performance evaluation using compressive and splitting tensile strength tests, complemented by regression analysis. XRF analysis revealed CPA contained 59.50% SiO₂, 8.00% Al₂O₃, and 2.50% Fe₂O₃. Coarse aggregates passed standard sieve sizes; ACV ranged 23.30–23.80% and AIV 21.35–21.42%. Slump values decreased from 75 mm (control) to 35 mm (15% CPA); compaction factors ranged 0.95–0.87. Compressive strengths for 3–42 days varied from 23.05–27.36 N/mm² (control) and 10.62–25.48 N/mm² (CPA mixes). Splitting tensile strength ranged 2.85–3.86 N/mm² (control) and 2.19–4.24 N/mm² (CPA mixes). Regression analysis indicated strong correlation (R² = 0.981–1.000) between CPA replacement and strength development. CPA can replace up to 10% cement without significantly affecting concrete performance; higher levels reduce mechanical integrity.
Keywords: Cassava peel ash, concrete, compressive strength, tensile strength.